Soccer Saturday: Your Running Commentary

Today marks the start of the English Premier League season, the first real sign that European soccer is back in full swing, and American soccer fans will have plenty of juicy match-ups to make this special day enjoyable.

Clint Dempsey and Fulham begin their campaign by playing host to Eric Lichaj and Aston Villa, while Stuart Holden's Bolton welcomes Queens Park Rangers to the Premier League. Revamped Liverpool is also in action today against Sunderland. These are just some of the EPL match-ups on tap.

The EPL isn't the only league kicking off today. France brings us Ligue 1 action, with revamped Paris St. Germain taking the field, while the Under-20 World Cup knockout rounds bring us the juicy Portugal-Argentina and Mexico-Colombia battles.

And then there's MLS, where the Philadelphia Union plays host to FC Dallas in a match that was already a headliner BEFORE it was slated to be Freddy Adu's debut for the Union.

If you will be watching today's action, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.

exactly. what a douchey comment. Looking forward to nyrb tonight as well, as i always do, but waking up on a saturday morning to some EPL is certainly nothing to complain about. Has nothing to do with MLS

Nothing like attacking people for being “Eurosnobs” for having even the slightest interest in any league outside the US. Why even post if you’re not interested? Shouldn’t you be out beating up immigrants or something?

I know. That’s why I put in he played a full 90 Wed night. He hasn’t been involved in Hannover’s preseason and then plays a full 90 for the first time in a month. I’m guessing with the lack of practice time with Hannover, the travel to and from Philly, and the full 90 on Wed, he’s not ready to go another 90 for Hannover

I feel like a traitor, but Villa is better with Given than Guzan,at least this game. N’Zogbia looked nervous. and they need to learn how to shoot. They get themselves in good positions but look scared to take the shot.

Not surprised by Liverpool result. They had a great run last year. Lets see the changes they made: Dirk Kuyt is a starter for Holland the team that made it to World Cup final. Maxi Rodriguez has over 50 caps for Argentina. Raul Mereiles starts for Portugal. All three didn’t start in favor of new, expensive and young English talent that don’t start for England.

Edu had a good game with Rangers. Active, played composed with good passing. Involved with most attacks. Scored a goal by following up on saved penalty. Then soon after got a second yellow (first yellow was a weak call).

Nah, Fulham had the best four or five chances but the finishing quality was obviously poor. Dempsey looked solid but Etuhu and Hughes really need to be replaced with better players. Duff is also tiresome to watch.

A shoe really designed for soccer is advantageous for players because it provides more control and stability to the athlete. That is why it is really important to invest on a footwear that will really be useful in the sports you are in.

Gervinho sent off, Barton only gets a yellow. Really need to see this again, he started the whole thing and I’m not sure what exactly went on.
*edit*
Gervinho should’ve been sent off by letter of law, put his hand to Barton’s face. Don’t agree with it, though. At the very least both should probably go, and Song should’ve been sent off earlier.

Both of them should be off, you can’t pick a player up by his jersey then scream in his face. Also he had his arms very high on Gervinho. Gervinho tapped him on the head which is technically red but Barton is a little b***h and everyone knows it. Him and Ge Jong belong in a certain circle of football players

I don’t understand how the assistant couldn’t see it – he visibly dragged him up and got up in his face. You can’t get so upset just because you think someone went down too easy. Definitely should’ve been a red for Barton.

Also, silverware really designed for food is advantageous for eaters because it provides more control and maneuverability to the eater. That is why it is really important to invest on a silverware that will really be useful in the cuisines you are in.

I’m totally OK with the red for Gervinho and yellow for Barton. Gervinho flopped, Barton was angry and tried to get him up. Aggressively, yes, which is why he got the yellow. But Gervinho’s hands to the face made his red automatic. Grabbing someone’s shirt is never a red. If you could get a yellow for flopping during a scrum maybe Barton would have been sent off too, but that’s not the rule, so as much of a loser he may be for going down there, the result was correct all around.

Yep. Drives me crazy. I always blame my cable company because it gets choppy and sometimes my picture freezes and once I change channels the problem fixes itself and I change back to fox and everything is fine again. F-You Time Warner!!

I wish the EPL Fantasy website would do real-time game updates like they used to. The switch to EA’s interface really sucks. Slower, less efficient in design, and now they don’t do real-time game updates!?!?! F#@& EA SPORTS!! I hope this is just them being lazy and un-prepared the first weekend. If not, then EA sucks for sucking up a the perfectly fine EPL Fantasy Football interface.

Gervinho actually had his foot hit, he embellished but at least from what I saw he was touched. No reason to debate with you though if you think it’s ok to haul another player off the ground by your jersey.

Again Agreed! What the hell is a running commentary? I thought the point of the site was to do a running commentary all day of various games and help keep us updated. kind of disappointed. I mean I come to the site to read a more ‘expert’ view not just the average idiotic ramble, if I wanted that I’d be satisfied with watching Alexi Lalas on ESPN

WTFFFFF!!!!!! HOOOOORIBLE call in the sounders game how in the world is that not a penalty mr. stot or whatever your frickin name is!?!?!??!!!!! when is USSF going to get their sh!t together with the horrible referees!!!!! He looks like such a little twat running around with no confidence or balls to make a big call!

While I too agree, I think the SBI guys need to spend some time just enjoying the games or they will get Blog-writer burn out. They also need to prepare for the very nice, exclusive, MLS coverage they do every weekend.

Jose Francisco Torres is starting in center-midfield for Pachuca, and if I saw correctly, he had a key role in an early goal. Can’t quite tell if it was him, but I think it was. There was a sort of double wall pass involving him, then Torres passed it to another player down to the goal line, who pulled it back to a forward for a tap-in goal.